The Black Spider

Description

The Green Hunter | Morality | Superstition When the feudal lord assigns his subjects an impossible task, the village community strikes a deal with the Green Hunter. The task is accomplished, but now the peasants refuse to pay the price: an unbaptized child. Soon, a black spider brings misery and death to the village. To what extent do morality and ethics shape our actions? Should others pay the price for our prosperity? And can selfless charity still serve as a guiding principle in the modern age? Jeremias Gotthelf explored these questions in his novella “The Black Spider,” published in 1842—a dark Swiss legend about guilt, atonement, and the depths of human nature. A century later, Willy Burkhard adapted the story into a two-act opera. The abstract plot and the prominent role of the chorus bring the work close to an oratorio. In a second version, the composer entrusted the entire narrative framework to a narrator. Each of the two acts comprises seven self-contained scenes with clear musical structures. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Music takes up this oratorical structure and presents the second version not as a staged production, but in a concert version. This brings the musical and thematic density of the work even more sharply into focus. What makes this composition by Willy Burkhard special is its dramatic and expressive setting of Jeremias Gotthelf’s somber narrative. It captivates with modern, multi-layered choral music and a gripping musical narrative style. 3:30 p. m. | Next Generation Talents
4:15 p. m. | Introduction Duration: approx. 120 min., including intermission
Age: 14+
Language: German

Highlights

• Concert performance of Willy Burkhard’s opera *The Black Spider*
• Based on the dark Swiss legend by Jeremias Gotthelf
• Presented by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

General Information

The concert version of *The Black Spider* explores themes of morality and superstition through a dramatic narrative. This adaptation highlights the expressive choral music and the depth of the original story, making it a unique experience for opera enthusiasts.

Location

Artherstrasse 2 - 4, 6300 Zug, Switzerland

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